Mumbai‑Ahmedabad Vande Bharat expands

Indian Railways has permanently expanded the Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express to 20 coaches from journeys starting April 28, 2026. (publicnow.com) The train, numbered 22961/22962, had been running with a 16-coach formation when it entered service in March 2024. The permanent upgrade adds three AC Chair Car coaches and one Executive Class coach. (publicnow.com) (news18.com) Officials said the change lifts seating capacity by 278 passengers on one of western India’s busiest premium inter-city routes. Western Railway had first added the extra coaches temporarily in January 2026 before extending that arrangement through March and April. (news18.com) The route covers 491 kilometers between Mumbai Central and Ahmedabad, with halts at Borivali, Vapi, Surat and Vadodara. Indian Railways said the trip takes about 5 hours 30 minutes. (publicnow.com) The service links two of western India’s biggest commercial centers and is used by business travelers, students, commuters and tourists. Railways said the permanent expansion reflects sustained demand rather than a short seasonal spike. (publicnow.com) (indiatoday.in) The move also fits a broader build-out of longer Vande Bharat trains across the network. Railways said 162 Vande Bharat services are now operational, with 38 running in 20-coach formations, 34 in 16-coach formations and 90 in 8-coach formations. (publicnow.com) Railways said nearly 4 crore passengers used Vande Bharat services in fiscal year 2025-26, up about 34% from a year earlier. On the Mumbai–Ahmedabad run, the extra coaches are meant to turn a stopgap capacity fix into the new daily standard. (publicnow.com)